Process for the manufacture of metal alloys



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Patented Nov. 23.. 1937 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL. ALLOYS Ren Perrin, Paris, France, assignor to Socicte dElectrochimie dElectrometallnrg'le et des Acieries Electriques dUgine, Paris, France, a

corporation of France No Drawing. Application July 8, 1936, Serial No.

89,656. In Italy July 11, 1932 22 Claims.

oxidized, for example for the purpose of regencrating them for re-use, by causing a violent and intimate intermixing of molten slag with a reducing agent, or with a metal containing a deoxidizing agent.

My invention concerns the application of such a process in a quite general manner to the reductlonof oxides contained in a fluid slag by violently and intimately intermixing the same and a bath of metal with a reducing body and has for its object the manufacture of metal alloys and more particularly of iron alloys by violent intermixing of slags containing oxides of alloying metals and a reducing bath of basis metals.

My present application is a continuation-inpart of my prior applications Serial Nos. 658,277 and 658,278, both filed February 23, 1933, and Serial No. 727,177, filed May 23, 1934 and relates to the manufacture of metal alloys in a quite general manner by the operating methods of which my said prior applications comprise a disclosure.

In the process described in my prior application Serial No. 658,278 for regenerating the slags by violent intermixing with a reducing agent-optionally contained in the deoxidized steel used in the operation-the reducing agent, such as aluminium, reduces the iron and manganese oxides 40 and returns metallic iron and manganese to the steel. This application mentions also, in a similar manner, a modification of the said process for the regeneration of exhausted slags employed in the deoxidation of steel in which the deoxidized 45 steel containing reducing agents for theiron oxide and/or manganese oxide of:the slag, is violently intermixed with the slag which has performed adeoxidizing operation and to which there are also added oxidiccompounds of such constituents as 50 are reduced by the reducing agents of the steel 55 with the regeneration of the slag and there may even be obtained iron alloys of the most varied nature, for example iron-nickel alloys, iron-molybdenum alloys or iron-chromium alloys.

In accordance with the disclosure of my prior application Serial No. 658,277, such a process for 5 the manufacture of iron alloys can be can'ied out quite generally with slags of other types and not only with the slags requiring regeneration according to the application just above mentioned. Also in this case it is possible'by the 10 violent intermixing of molten steel and a fluid slag, which contains the alloying constituents in the form of their oxidic compounds, to manufacture iron alloys of all types.

Now the present continuation-impart applica- 15 tion contemplates, in accordance with such process, the manufacture of metal alloys as well from slags of other types than those requiring regeneration. as from exhausted oxidized slags. It is necessary only'that the slag contains oxidic compounds of such alloying elements as are reduced by the reducing agent which is caused to react'with the basis metal bath upon said slag,

- and thereby yield alloying constituents in the said basis metal, as a result of thereaction which 25 is caused to take place between said basis metal, the reducing agent and the slag. There are therefore performed, besides in certain cases the simultaneous regeneration of the slag, the manufacture .of metal alloys of the most varied nature, for an example, alloys containing nickel, molybdenum, chromium or other alloying metals. The action of the reducing agent on the oxides of these metals is the same as on the iron oxide or mangan'ese oxide, namely to reduce them, and add their metallic alloying metals to the basis metal.

' The practical operation'of the process takes 7 place'in a similar manner as in my above mentioned applications. The essential point is that a violent and intimate intermixing is produced 40 between. the slag containing oxidic compounds of alloying metals, a basis metal to be alloyed with said alloying metals and a reducing body capable of reducing said oxidic compounds. Optionally the violent intermixing can be produced between the slag and themetal bath containing the reducing body or the slag and the reducing agent are violently intermixed with the basis metal bath which insures said violent intermixing due to the kinetic energy of its mass. 5

The violent intermixing of metal bath, reducing agent and slag can for example be obtained by violently pouring e. g. from a considerable height, a thick stream of the molten basismetaL with the reducing agent, into a ladle in the bottom of which is the very fluid slag. The alloy formation takes place in the course of a very short time, for example in the course of one minute for a melt of about 15 metric tons, since the distribution of the slag throughout the metal bath which to a certain extent leads to the :formation of an emulsion of the fused slag and fused metal with reducing body, is extraordinarily far reaching.

For example, the process may be carried out by placing in a receiving ladle a suitable amount, say, about 1750 kilograms of a molten very fluid slag containing the oxides of the alloying metals, and by rapidly pouring into this ladle a charge of molten basis metal, containinga reducing agent, such as aluminium, say, about 15000 kilograms of such steel, from a height of about 10 feet in about 1 minute orless. Due to the violence of such pouring, the impact of the steel against and into the fluid slag causes the slag to be broken up into fine particles and thoroughly dispersed through the steel. Owing to such intimate admixture, the reducing agent in the steel reduces the alloying oxides in the slag and the alloying metals are thus introduced into the steel. As soon as the turbulence in the ladle has subsided, the alloy steel separates by gravity from the fluid slag and may be tapped.

The violent intermixing oi the basis metal to be alloyed and the slag containing the alloying oxides may be otherwise carried out, for instance, by method of violentintermixing in which the molten metal with reducing body and molten fluid slag are poured with violence simultaneously into a receiving ladle so as to secure the intimate admixture and dispersion of the slag into the metal bath.

Instead of violently pouring in a ladle the basis metal bath containing a. reducing agent and the fluid slag it may be of advantage to first place in the bottom of the ladle the reducing agent together with the fluid slag and then pour with such violence thereupon the molten basis metal, that, due namely to the falling energyof the mass of said basis metal, a turbulent mass of intimately intermixed slag, reducing agent and basis metal is produced.

The process may also be carried out by violently pouring a charge of the basis metal with reducing body having a supernatant slag fromone ladle into another from a. suflicient height to secure the thorough and rapid intermixing of the metal bath and slag. The charge may be repouredbackand forth, if desired, to secure successive intermixings.

The intensive intermixing of slag and metal melt with reducing body can also be effected by any other suitable means, such for instance as violent mechanical agitation; it being only necessary that a most far-reaching possible distribution of the slag in the metal bath should be attained. For example it may be of advantage to employ a mixing device formed by a container trunnioned to be turned about a horizontal axis and'capable of being subjected to quick inversions and quick stopping in vertical inverted position into which it has been swung. The operation may be carried out, with such a mixing invertible container, by charging in the same the metal to be alloyed, together with the reducing body and a slag containing the oxides of the alloying elements and by imparting then to the said container quick violent inversions in one and the other direction, thus causing intensive slag-metal intermixing, and continuing if necesv slag and metal bath for instance steel,

sary such rapid inversions until reduction of the oxides of the slag is completed.

In each case the alloying operation is effected I by the violent and thorough intermixing of the whereby a quick reduction of the alloying oxides is effected without'the application of external uniform distribution of the alloying metals throughoutthe body of the basis metal is eftested.

The process of making metal alloys in accapable of being reduced by a reducing body contained in the copper melt, thereby quickly alloying phosphorus to copper.

In the manufacture of certain metal alloys such as ferrous alloys, for example iron-nickel alloys, iron-molybdenum alloys, iron-copper a1- loys, and the like, it is even possible to operate without the presence of added reducing agents in the metallic melt employed, since in these cases the metal itself acts as a reducing agent for the oxidic compounds in the slag.

As slags applicable for. carrying out my new process for-makingmetal alloys, various slags may be employed, either basic, neutral or acid. The preferred slags are those containing silica, which may contain lime, alumina, titanic acid, magnesia, alkali, and the like. The slags can also contain iron oxideand manganese oxide.

The oxidic compounds of the alloying metals which are incorporated in the slag in order to obtain therefrom the said alloying metals for addition to the basis metal melt may be, for

heat, and a thorough and cordance with my invention can be carried out example, nickel silicate, calcium molybdate, copper oxide, chromite, or the like. In the case of nickel silicate, calcium molybdate and copper oxide, the presence of reducing agents in the basis metal melt is not necessary when this latter is an iron melt. It is possible, however, to work with iron melts which contain reducing agents, such for example as silicon, aluminium, titanium, calcium silicide, or the like. The

"presence of such reducing agents in the iron melt is necessary in working with chromite as the oxidic compound in the slag for the manufacture of chromium iron alloys. with iron melts which contain reducing agents, it is advantageous to employ deoxidized iron melts in order to reduce the consumption of the reducing agent.

It may be of advantage in certain cases to use reducing bodies which are not soluble in the basis metals to be .alloyed, so that in such cases the violent intermixing is produced between the fluid slag, the basis metal and the reducing body which remains non-dissolved in the metal bath.

By the present process additional amounts of alloying metals may be introduced into metal alloys already containing the same or other alloying metals. For example, in the case of the manufacture of iron alloys, instead of castiron or steel, metal alloys e. g. iron alloys, can also be used for the process according to the invention. These alloys may contain as alloying constituents before treatment, besides those constituents that are present (in.the form 01:- oxidic compounds) in the slags to be intermixed therewith, other alloying constituents not present in the slags, the

In working of intimately intermixed slag and reducing body contents of which in the alloy remains therefore unchanged during the treatment. The basic constituent of the,alloy may consist of iron or of other basis metal. The metal alloys e. g. iron alloys employed can be produced by any suitable process. The slags can contain quite. generally .mixtures of oxidic compounds ofrthe different alloying metals which it is desired to alloy with the basis metal such for example as iron.

What I claim is: a LA process for the manufacture of a metal alloy which consists in forming a bath of molten fluid slag containing an oxidic compound of the from the metal alloy.

alloying metal to be introduced into the first recited basis metal, forming a bath of this latter metal in the molten state. and intermixing with such violent energy and intimacy the said slag andthe said basis metal together with a reducing agent capable of reducing the said oxidic compound of the slag as to cause the slag and the reducing agent to become almost instantaneously dispersed in a finely divided condition into the metal, thereby quickly effecting a reduction of the said oxidic compound of the slag and alloying the metal therefrom with the first recited basis metal and allowing the slag so impoverished in its said Diddle compound to separate 2. A. process for the manufacture of a metal alloy which consists in forming a bath of molten fluid slag containing an oxidic compound of an alloying metal to be introduced into the first recited basis metal, forming a bath of the molten basis metal containing a deoxidizing agent capa' ble of reducing said oxidic compound of the slag, and intermixing with such violent energy and intimacy the said slag and the said basis metal containing the reducing agent as to cause the slagand the said reducing agent to become almost instantaneouslydispersed in a finely divided condition into the said metal, thereby quickly effecting areduction of the said oxidic compound of the slag and alloying the metal therefrom with the first recited basis metal and allowing the slag so impoverished in its said oxidic compound to separate from the metal alloy. v

3. A proces for the manufacture of a metal alloy, which consists in violently and intimately intermixing so as to form a kind of a turbulent emulsion a bath of molten metal and a'reducing agent, with a molten fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of an alloying metal to be alloyed with the first recited basis metal and which is reducible by the said reducingagent and separating the slag from the alloyed metal.

4. A process for the manufacture of a metal alloy, which consists in violently and intimately intermixingso as to form a kind of a turbulent emulsion a bath of molten metal, a reducing agent which is not soluble in the said metal, and 'a' molten fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound, of an alloying metal to be alloyed with the firstrec ted basis metal and which is reducible by the said reducing agent, and

separating from the alloyed metal the slag so molten fluid slag containing an oxidic compound of an alloyingmetal tobe introduced into the basis metal and whfch is reducible by the said oxidic compound, as to produce a turbulent mass dispersed in a finely divided condition into the basis metal, thereby quickly effecting a reduction of the'oxidiccompound of the slag and alloying the metal therefrom with the basis metal, and allowing the slag so impoverished in its oxidic compound to FDarate from the metal alloy.

6. A process for the manufacture of a metal y alloy, which consists in violently and intimately ,intermixing so as to form a kind of a turbulent emulsion a molten fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound if an alloying metal to be alloyed with the basis metal and a molten bath of the said basis metal which is reducing towards the said oxidic compound and separating from the alloyed metal the slag so impove'rished in its oxidic compound.

7. A process for making a ferrous alloy, which consists in forming a turbulent mass of a molten fluid slag containing oxidic compounds of alloying metals and a ferrous metal bath containin its oxidic compounds.

8. A process for making a deoxidized ferrous alloy, which comprises forming a molten bath of a ferrous metal to be deoxidized, forming a bath "of a molten fluid oxide-efii tracting slag, intermixing the slag andmetal with such violence and intimacy as to bring about quickly a substantially complete deoxidation of the metal, thereafter adding to the bath a reducing agent and adding to the oxidized fluid slag oxidic compounds of alloying constituents to be introduced into the said ferrous metal and then repeating the operation of violently intermixing the thus added sla and bath of metal so as to vbring about quickly a reduction of the saidoxidic compounds of the slag thereby imparting again to the slag an oxideextractlng power and simultaneously the introduction of the reduced alloying constituents into the ferrous metal bath. v

9. A process for the simultaneous manufacture'of a ferrous alloy and regeneration of an exhausted oxidized slag by reducing oxides contained therein and thereby imparting again to the slag an oxide-extracting power, which consists in forming a molten bath of ferrous metal with a reducing element, forming a bath of the molten fiuid slag to be regenerated containing oxidic compounds of alloying constituents to be introducedinto the ferrous metal and intermixing the said slag and. metal bath with reducing element 'with such violence and intimacy asto quickly reduce oxides of the slag and simultaneously introduce the reduced alloying constituents into the said ferrous metaL' 10. A process for quickly introducing simultaneously several alloying-constituents into abasis metal which consists in adding to a previously molten fluid slag a substantial amount of oxidic compounds of the several constituents which are to be alloyed with the said basis metal and causing the'thus added slag and the bath of said metal containing substances capable of reducing the said oxidic compounds to be so violently intermixed as to produce a turbulent mass of molten slag and metal bath with reducing substances finely dispersed together with said slag,

and separating from the alloyed metal the slag so impoverished in its oxidic compounds. v

11. A process for quickly introducing simultaneously several alloying metals into steel, which consists in adding to a previously molten fluid slag a substantial amount of oxidic compounds of the several alloying metals which are to be alloyed with the steel and causing the'thus added slag and the steel bath containing substances capable of reducing the said oxidic compounds to be so violentlyintermixed as to produce a turbulent mass of slag and steel bath with reducing substances finely dispersed together with said slag,

as to form a kind of an emulsion a molten iron bath to which a reducing agent had been-added, with a previously molten very fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of a metal to be alloyed with the iron and which is reducible by the said reducing agent, and separating the slag from the metal.

14.. A- process for the manufacture of iron alloys, which consists in violently intermixing so as to form a kind of an emulsion a molten deoxidized iron bath with a previously molten very fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of a metal to be alloyed with the iron and which is reducible by the iron, and

' which comprises violently pouring a molten iron separating the slag from the metal.

15. A process for the manufacture of iron alloys, which consists in violently intermixing so as to form a kind of an emulsion amolten deoxidized iron bath towhich a reducing-agent has been added, with a previously molten very fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of a metal to be alloyed with the iron and which is reducible by the said reducing agent, andseparating the slag from the metal.

16. A process for the manufacture of iron alloys, which consists in violently intermixing so as to form akind of an emulsion a molten iron alloy bath with a previously molten very fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of a metal to be alloyed with the said iron and which is reducible by a constituent 'of the said iron alloy, and separating the slag from the metal.

1'7. A process for the manufacture of iron alloys,-

which consists in violently intermixing so as to.

form a kind of an emulsion a molten deoxidized iron alloy bath with a previously molten very fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of a metal tube alloyed with the said iron alloy and which is reducible by a constituent of the said iron alloy, and separating the slag from the formed iron alloy.

18; A process for the manufacture of iron alloy, which consists in violently intermixing so as to form a kind of emulsion a molten deoxidized iron alloy with a previously molten very fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of the same metal as the said alloying constituent present in the iron alloy and which is reduced by a constituent of the said iron alloy, and separating the slag from the iron alloy.

19. A process for alloying several alloying metals with a metal of the group of steel and cast iron, which consists in adding to a previously molten very fluid slag a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of the several metals which are to be alloyed with the said metal and which are reducible by a constituent of the said metal to be alloyed, violently intermixing said added slag with said metal so as 'to form a kind of emulsion, and separating the slag from the metal.

20. A process for the manufacture of iron alloy, which comprises violently pouring a molten'iron melt in a thick jet into a previously molten very fluid slag containing silica and a substantial amount of an oxidic compound which is reducible by a compound of the iron melt and separating the slag from the formed iron alloy.

21, A process for the manufacture of iron alloy,

melt in thick jet into a previously molten very fluid slag containing a substantial amount of an oxidic compound of a metal to be alloyed with the ham and separating the slag from the formed iron a oy.

22. A process for the manufacture of iron alloy, which consists in violently pouring in a thick jet a deoxidized iron melt containing a reducing agent into a previously molten very fluid slag containing silicic acid and a substantial amount of chrome iron stone.

R NE PERRIN. 

